Self-locking panel



Dec. 9, 195@ B. F'. BlRDWr-:LL ET AL SELF-LOCKING PANEL Filed Jan. 50, 1957 United States 1 SELF-LOCKIN G PANEL Benjamin F. Birdwell, Connersville, Ind., and Will A. Schwehr, St. Louis, Mo.

Application January 30, 1957, Serial No. 637,131

8 Claims. (Cl. 20-4) `interlocked in standard manufactured framing with minimum expenditure of job site labor.

Current methods of installing panels, if they do not involve the use of expensive and unsightly batten strips or other exposed attachments, require special concealed flanges and like elements which necessitate field drilling, welding, etc. The present disclosure, on the other hand, contemplates an arrangement which does not require special treatment of the frame, but which does permit a workman to assemble and seal a panel into a frame in a very few minutes.

Thus, the principal object of the invention is to provide a novel panel construction wherein a windowlike opening may be closed by insertion of a self-locking panel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel panel constructionwhich is adapted to self-locking insertion in a windowlike opening.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel frame construction for receiving a self-locking panel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel frame and panel arrangement which permits a self-locking panel to be sealed around both its inner and outer edges.

Other objects are to provide a self-locking panel and frame arrangement which provides an efcient sealed closure, which is economical to manufacture, and which is susceptible to quick and easy assembly.

The foregoing, along with additional objects and advantages, will be apparent from the following descrip# tion of a specific embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a panel and frame assembly constructed in conformance with the teachings of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section taken substantially along the line 2 2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Figure 1, portions of the view being removed in order to conserve space on the drawing;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary exterior elevation of a panel prior to insertion in its frame;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary isometric view of a removed sealing strip; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical section generally similar to Figure 3, but illustrating a panel only partly inserted into its frame.

Referring more particularly to the details of the drawatent f 2` ing as indicated by reference characters, the numeral 10 designates generally a frame and panel assembly conforming to the present invention. The assembly 10 comprises a frame 12 and a panel 14.

Directing attention lirst to the frame 12, an upper horizontal cross member 16 and a pair of vertical side members 18 each having the cross-sectional shape illustrated in the member 16 of Figures 3 and 6 are joined in the rectangular form of Figure 1. Preferably, the members 16 and 18 are of metal, such as steel or aluminum, and may be cast, extruded, or of fabricated construction. A lower horizontal cross member 20 formed in similar manner to the cross-section clearly illustrated in Figures 3 and 6 completes the rectangular frame 12. Assembled as above described and as illustrated inthe drawing, the frame 12 has an inner flange 22 which is parallel with the plane of the opening in the frame 12 :and which extends continuously around the opening. Preferably a seal strip 24 of resilient compressible material, such as felt, rubber, or yieldable plastic material is cemented to the outside of the flange 22 adjacent the inner edge thereof.

In addition to the planar flange 22, the frame 12 includes a forwardly projecting framing portion 26 which extends completely around the central opening as is apparent from the drawing. A second planar flange 2S is formed at the extreme end of the portion 26, and this flange 28, preferably, but not necessarily, has the undercut form illustrated at 30 in Figure 6. A vent hole 32 is provided in the lower horizontal member 20 to serve as a drain for the part of this member which lies between the inner flange 22 and the outer flange 30.

The panel 14 comprises an outer boxlike shell 34 and an inner boxlike shell 36 interiitted as clearly illustrated in the drawing and retained in interitted relation by screws 38. A continuous sealing strip 40 of plastics, textile, or the like is extended around the telescoped point between the shells 34 and 36, and, preferably, covers the free inner edge of the shell 36 as illustrated at 42. Where the size of the panel is sufficiently large, a cross strut 44 of material such as wood serves to improve the rigidity of the panel 14. Otherwise, the interior of the panel may be left vacant, or it may be lled with insulating material 45 as suggested in Figure 6.

As clearly shown in Figures 4 and 6, the lower edge of the panel 14 comprises a channel 46 disposed in inverted position and secured in place by means of the lower screws 38. The channel 46 extends the full l1orizontal width of the panel 14 and serves as a stool for supporting the same in the frame 12. From Figure 3, it may be observed that the vent 32 in the frame 16 communicates with the area under the stool 46 and, in addition, a vent hole 4S is provided to extend from the interior of the channel 46 up into the interior of the boxlike portion of the panel 14.

The upper horizontal edge and both vertical edges of the panel 14 are provided with continuous angle locking members 50. These members 50 include a confined leg 52 which is disposed flush on the inside of the outer boxlike member 34 and secured by the appropriate screws 38. In addition to the confined leg 52, each of the locking members 59 has a spring leg S4 which is returned at an acute angle toward the outside of the panel 14. It is of course obvious that the members 50 can be secured by insertion of the screws 381 therethrough and the spring leg then bent to the illustrated position, or holes may be provided in the spring leg to'permit insertion of the screws 33 after the member has bee bent to the acute angle shown.

The locking members 50 may be constructed of resilient material such as steel, or of material having less resilience such as aluminum or plastic material. Par- Fatented Dc. 9, 1958` ticularly where materials of relatively low resilience are employed, but preferably in any case, a locking strip 56 of rubber or other material having yieldable resilience is disposed between the legs of the locking member Sil. This locking strip 56 has a generally triangular wedgelike shape to correspond with the space between the legs of the members 50.

In use, the frames 12 or ones similar thereto will. be incorporated in a building wall'or the like in a well understood manner. Under certain, conditions they may, of course, form load bearing elements of the wall.

As illustrated in Figure 6, a panel 4 is inserted into a frame i6 by rst setting the lower edge including the stool channel 46 in the space betweenvthe innerandY outer planar lianges 422and '2S Vandthen. pushing the upper portion of the panel into assembled position. Figures 2 and 3 show, clearly how the spring leg 5d of the locking members 5t) engage the undercut portions 30 of the outer planar flange 2S so as to retain the panel 14 securely in place. These figures also show the engagement of the inner boxlike portion 36 with the sealing strip 24 whereby to provide va completely sealed closure. Preferably, a final external sealing is achieved by the application of an appropriate calking compound 58 in the space around the external face of the panel ,14 and within the iange 28.

Clearly, there has been disclosedy a self-lockingpanel arrangement whichr fulfills the objects and advantages sought therefor.

It is to be understood that the foregoing descriptions and the accompanying drawings have been given only by way of illustrationv and example. It is further to be understood that changes in the elements, rearrangement of parts, or substitution of equivalent elements, all of which will be apparent to those skilled in the art, arev contemplated as being within the scope of the invention, which is limited only by the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

l. A panel construction comprising, in combination, a frame having a first planar liange defining an opening and a second planar flange dening an open space of greater area than said opening, said flanges being in spaced parallel relation to each other, a panel having an area greater than that of the opening detined by said rst planar flange, yieldablemeans at the peripheral edge of said panel adapted to occupy at least a portion of the space separating said tianges andv extending the overall area of the panel to a size exceeding that of the open space defined by the second planar flange so as to retain the panel closing relation with said opening, resilient compressible means engaging said yieldable means so as to bias the latter into interlocking engagement with said second planar iiange, and a seal strip of resilient compressible material interposed between the panel and the first planar flange.

2. A frame construction comprising means defining a window-like opening for receiving a self-locking panel, said means including a plurality of axially spaced inwardly extending planar lianges of different inward extent, the inwardly extending planar flange of less inward extent having an undercut face disposed toward the inwardly extending tiange of greater inward extent, and a sealing strip of resilient material secured to that face of the ange of greater inward extent disposed towardA the flange of less inward extent.

The construction of claim 2 wherein the plurality of lianges are interconnected by an axially extending framing portion, and at least one drain hole in said framing portion.

4. A panel construction comprising a slab-like shell having means disposed peripherally thereof for selflocking engagement with a frame delining a window-like opening, said peripherallydisposed means including a rigid portion forming a stool-like support for the shell portion of the panel, and resiliently yieldable means adapted to yield inwardly as the panel is inserted in its frame and thereafter to spring outwardly for interlock- .ing engagement with the frame.

5. The panel construction of claim 4 wherein the stoollike member takes the form of an inverted channel, and wherein a hole extends through the web of said channel and into the interior of the shell portion of the panel.

6. A panel construction comprising a slab-like shell Vhaving means disposed peripherally thereof for self-lock-A ing engagement with a frame defining a window-like' opening, said peripherally disposed means including an elongated angle member having one leg secured to the `shell portionof the panel and another leg extending freely at an acute angle tothe secured leg so as to yieldv inwardly as the panel is inserted in its frame and thereafter to spring outwardly for interlocking engagement with the frame. y j v 7. The panel construction of claim 6 plus alocking strip having yieldable resilience legs of the angle member.

8. A self-locking panel comprising box-like shells linA References Cited inthe tile of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,077,808 Peremi et al. Apr. 20, 1937 disposed between the Martin` May 2s, 1957 

